Semifinals

Early the next morning,

it was basically the same as usual.

But from getting up in the morning, to eating in the cafeteria, to arriving at the Assessment Area, Huo Yuhao was incredibly excited. Wang Dong'er, who had already recovered, was just as excited.

"Liu Yuan! Beat them up good for me!"

She viciously swung her delicate fist!

Whenever Wang Dong'er recalled what had happened yesterday, she gritted her teeth in fury.

"I'm going to make them call me Auntie!"

"No problem."

As Liu Yuan patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder and told him not to get too upset, he heard Wang Dong'er's words and turned to flash an OK sign.

Just then, Dai Huabin arrived surrounded by Zhu Lu and Cui Yajie, and he happened to hear Wang Dong'er's words.

He sneered coldly. "Defeated losers!"

"You!"

Wang Dong'er instantly flared up, but Xiao Xiao stopped her.

Yet after mocking them, Dai Huabin simply ignored her. He fixed his gaze on Liu Yuan, treating everyone else as if they were nothing.

"I didn't expect us to meet in the semifinals. It looks like your New Student Assessment journey ends here."

But before Liu Yuan could speak, someone else fired first.

"You think a Golden Haired Dog like you can make us lose?!" Xiao Xiao, who had just held Wang Dong'er back, used a piercing tone to deliver the most merciless words.

She had a good temper, but that did not mean she would not get angry or curse at people.

Sure enough,

with just one sentence, she enraged Dai Huabin.

"What did you say?!"

He was the mighty "White Tiger," yet he had been called a "Golden Haired Dog." An indescribable sense of humiliation instantly filled his heart!

A vicious glint flashed through his eyes.

"What a sharp-tongued little girl." Since her fiancé had been insulted, Zhu Lu naturally could not just stand by and watch.

But the moment she spoke,

Xiao Xiao's firepower immediately shifted.

"So insulting him doesn't count as insulting you? You look like some showy top courtesan. You're probably a female simp too. Judging by how that Golden Haired Dog treats you, he probably only treats you a little better than ordinary people. Looks like you can only serve as a prop for a Martial Soul Fusion Skill!"

"But a dog and a dog are a perfect match!"

"You!"

Xiao Xiao's words struck Zhu Lu right where it hurt.

After all, she truly loved Dai Huabin with all her heart.

But Dai Huabin?

It seemed he really only regarded her as a tool for their fusion skill.

At the same time, Liu Yuan and the others were stunned by Xiao Xiao's combat prowess.

Good heavens!

Her fighting power was seriously impressive!

But then again, where had Xiao Xiao learned that?

Wang Dong'er, on the other hand, brightened at once.

"Xiao Xiao! Keep going! Curse them until they cry!" She shouted encouragement while constantly cheering her on.

Just then, the teacher entered the venue, saving Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu from Xiao Xiao's sharp tongue.

Before leaving, however, Dai Huabin threw down a threat with a fierce glare. "Just you wait!"

Liu Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly. "We'll be waiting."

After that,

he turned his gaze toward the raised platform in the distance.

At some point, it had already filled with teachers.

But seated in the middle was an elderly man with messy hair and clothes torn in several places.

His bare feet dangled off the edge of the platform. He held a large purplish-red gourd in one hand and drank wine from it. Several roasted chicken legs lay beside him on oil paper, while he held another chicken leg in his own hand, taking a sip of wine and a bite of meat, eating with great enjoyment.

At the sight of him, Liu Yuan thought to himself, Xuan Zi actually came for the semifinals. But... he really does look terribly unkempt.

Then he discreetly withdrew his gaze.

However, on the platform,

"Interesting."

Xuan Zi muttered as he gnawed on a chicken leg.

Before a level ninety-eight Super Douluo, even if Liu Yuan's gaze lingered for half a second longer, it would be noticed.

"Elder Xuan, you've come."

Wang Yan respectfully walked over to greet Xuan Zi.

"Today happens to be the two semifinal matches. Although Di Qiu'er's team's opponents may not be able to force out their true strength, Liu Yuan's team is facing Dai Huabin's team. And there's also a girl surnamed Zhu among them. They should have a Martial Soul Fusion—"

"Enough, enough." Before Wang Yan could finish, Xuan Zi impatiently waved his chicken leg. "I'll see for myself."

"Yes."

Wang Yan did not dare say anything more and stepped aside.

But just then, a voice rang out. "Why is Elder Xuan in the mood to watch the New Student Assessment? You're quite a rare guest."

An elderly man in white walked over.

Behind him was Dean of Studies Du Weilun.

Seeing this, the teachers all bowed.

"Dean Yan."

"Dean Yan..."

"..."

Xuan Zi merely glanced at them.

"Shao Zhe, you're here."

"Didn't Weilen say you were coming to take a look?"

Yan Shaozhe walked to Xuan Zi's side and looked down below.

"Who has caught your eye, Elder Xuan?"

"Do you even need to ask?"

Xuan Zi took a bite of chicken and a swig of wine. "Wang told me there's a boy whose Martial Soul resembles the Golden Ancient Tree quite a bit. That girl with the Golden Dragon Martial Soul isn't bad either."

"Oh?"

Hearing this,

Yan Shaozhe shifted his gaze. Before long, following Xuan Zi's line of sight, he landed on Liu Yuan.

Just then,

as the semifinals were about to begin, the teacher in charge of Area One beckoned to Liu Yuan's team and Dai Huabin's team at the same time, signaling for them to enter the arena and prepare for the assessment.

By coincidence,

this teacher was the same Assessment Area teacher from yesterday's match between Wang Dong'er's team and Dai Huabin's team.

As both sides took their positions,

their gazes clashed in midair.

In an instant, the atmosphere became tense.

Dai Huabin stared fixedly at Liu Yuan with cold, vicious eyes. Yet their battle three months ago had left him deeply wary of Liu Yuan's strength, and he stood fully on guard.

Liu Yuan, by contrast, appeared far more composed.

After sweeping his gaze across both sides, the assessment teacher spoke in a low voice.

"State your names."

"Freshman Class Five, Dai Huabin."

"Zhu Lu."

"Cui Yajie."

Cui Yajie deliberately stood a step behind, allowing Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu to stand side by side. The auras of their Martial Soul Fusion Skill intertwined as they built up their momentum.

But Liu Yuan only smiled indifferently when he sensed it. He stepped forward. "Freshman Class Five, Liu Yuan."

An aura that was not particularly imposing spread outward, yet it made Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu's expressions change at the same time.

The wariness in their eyes deepened at that moment, and the two could not help exchanging a covert glance.

Once Huo Yuhao and Xiao Xiao had also finished stating their names, the assessment teacher extended both arms to either side.

He signaled for both teams to retreat to the edges of the arena.

Throughout this time, Dai Huabin's gaze never left Liu Yuan for even a moment, his entire body tense. Likewise, the distance between him and Zhu Lu was less than three inches.

Very soon, beneath countless watching eyes,

"Begin!"